13. Talon

CHAPTER 13

Talon

M y skin itched like a thousand ants were crawling over every inch of it.

My muscles clenched and unclenched in my panther form as I wandered through the estate while Cassandra took a much-needed bath. We were both going absolutely stir-crazy having been here well over a month. Under any other circumstances, the island that came alive at night might've been a welcomed retreat. I might've enjoyed shifting into various animalistic forms and exploring more of the lush vegetation that decorated the island, or hell, even taking nightly moonlit dips in the ocean with Cassandra.

But this wasn't some fantasy vacation I'd dreamed up while in stasis.

This was a mission.

A mission I was failing.

We'd gleaned some information, but not nearly enough, so of course I was pouncing on the opportunity to wander the estate while Cassandra indulged in some much-needed self-care. I'd encouraged it, and she'd finally relented, promising she would get into the oversized tub in her bedroom and not come out for at least an hour.

The female was like a shaken bottle of champagne, and I worried one more pulled trigger would make her pop.

The toxicity between her and her mother was clear, but her mother was oblivious to Cassandra's true feelings. She seemed so used to treating her like shit and Cassandra taking it, that she thought nothing was amiss.

But I could see it in Cassandra's eyes, in the weariness that resided there, in the way she would flinch sometimes when she didn't hear me approach. After everything she'd revealed to me about her upbringing, I knew exactly why those reactions happened. The female was traumatized, and I hated her entire family because of it.

I hated even more that I couldn't do anything about it.

And something equally terrifying was the fact that I wanted to do something about it. I wanted to eradicate the Zorins who'd harmed her for centuries, not because of the mission or the ongoing battle in which my king had been in before he'd even woken us up.

But because they hurt her .

Some deep, throbbing instinct inside me screamed to enact justice for the wrongs that she'd been delivered. I was tired of trying to define it. Tired of trying to analyze it.

From the beginning, I thought it was nothing more than me being physically attracted to the gorgeous female who offered me blood and sex. But now I knew it was more than that. I just didn't know how much more.

And she called me on it last night, especially after my conversation with Zachariah, which she'd easily ascertained. He'd warned me again after I'd defended her character over the phone.

Warned me not to trust her. Told me to be careful with that heart of mine. The one I'd never given away before.

And I'd felt split down the middle. I knew he wasn't wrong for advising me to be careful, but the idea of her betraying me just didn't make sense anymore.

But who was I to really know?

We hadn't known each other that long, and she was a brilliant, cunning vampire. Her reaction to my lack of trust yesterday put something in perspective though. Shifted something in me. She'd been so desperate for somebody, anybody , to trust her, that she'd asked if she needed to have the king rifle through her mind, if she needed to open herself up to him completely, to give him access to every horrible memory she'd shared with me in confidence in order to earn my trust.

It was a sad statement, a terrible offer that she should never have had to make.

And I hated myself for not being able to open myself up that last bit with her.

Especially when she'd been so understanding after I explained why I had trust issues, not just from a life of living with aristocratic families like her origins, but because of Samuel.

Because of what Samuel continued to do and how if any one of us would've taken a better look at him, if we hadn't trusted him so blindly, we could've saved thousands of innocent lives.

"Yes of course that's a C ", Cassandra's mother spoke harshly into her phone, the sound of her voice stopping me before I rounded a corner where she'd left the study door open.

She sat behind the grand desk in the corner, looking like she was ready to chop somebody's head off.

"It's not my fault that you're incompetent and mistook my writing. I don't care what happened as a result of your mistake. It was a C . As in Candor."

My ears pricked at the surname I vaguely recognized. Hadn't there been a Candor on the list of foster home kids that Grace had saved not long ago?

"I don't appreciate your tone," she said with deadly quiet. "Would you like me to take this up with Edward? I'm sure he would love to hear every detail about how you're treating his mother over something that could have easily been remedied with a phone call before you took action."

She sat up a little straighter in her chair, arrogance and satisfaction rippling over her features.

"I thought not," she continued. "But just so you know, he will be visiting soon and I'll be informing him about this situation. Perhaps you can try to get back on my good side before he arrives. See that you do," she said after a small pause before punching something on the screen of her phone and dropping it on the desk with a little huff.

I waited a few moments before silently turning around and heading back to Cassandra's chambers, ensuring the door was locked before I shifted back into my vampire form. The last thing I wanted to do was interrupt some much-needed rejuvenation time, but I also knew that she'd be livid with me if I withheld mission-critical information from her longer than necessary.

I knocked on the closed bathroom door.

She laughed softly. "It's unlocked, Talon. Honestly, since when are you worried about modesty? You've seen me naked more times than I can count."

I opened the door and shut it behind me, every instinct in my body magnifying in a desperate way when I spotted her in her giant claw-foot tub.

She was exquisite, every inch of her body soaking wet, just peeks of her creamy skin evident beneath the array of bubbles that floated atop the water. The room was filled with a perfumed steam that was downright intoxicating, and my fangs punched out at the thought of drinking her in that bathtub.

"Are you just going to stand there or did you have a mind to join me?" she asked after I remained still and silent for too long.

"I heard information," I ground out the words.

"And? Why do you look like you're struggling right now?"

"I'm battling two courses of action," I practically growled the words, every muscle in my body tensing.

"And they are?" she asked.

"One, I tell you about this information and we spend the next few hours strategizing and coming up with different plans. Two, I get into that tub with you and worship you for a few hours before we get back to business."

A bolt of desire laced the smell of her blood, making her scent heady as it reached my nostrils. I didn't move even though every fiber of my being begged me to.

"Is it urgent? The information?"

I could only shake my head.

Cassandra smirked, her lips shaping into a grin that was filled with power and desire and pure fun.

"I'm guessing you've never struggled with this before," she said, enjoying her position of power. She shifted in the water slightly, just enough that a few of the bubbles moved to show me what was beneath.

What I'd seen many times now but couldn't stop wanting to see more of. She was beautiful every single time and I wanted her more and more every time too.

"Having to choose between what you personally want and what the mission demands of you." She tilted her head, a pang of sympathy drenching those gorgeous brown eyes. "That must be an awful position to be in."

"I've never had to think about it before," I admitted, although now that I was in the position of having to, I definitely didn't like it.

Didn't like having to feel guilty for wanting her. For wanting to delight in the taste of her before helping with the mission.

"I think you should take what you want," she said. "I think that you've dedicated yourself enough, and since it's not urgent, you should put your needs first."

"I don't know if I've ever done that before," I said, racking my brain to think of when I'd ever put a female over my mission.

I hadn't.

And that made this entire thing a thousand times more dangerous. Nothing was supposed to get in the way of a hunter's mission…except, maybe, a mate.

"I'll take whatever option you decide, Talon," she said. "If you want me to get out of this tub and dry off and strategize until dawn, I will. Just as I won't hesitate to do the other."

Something flooded me, a combination of heat and need and comfort and hope—it was all-encompassing and heavy and light at the same time. I felt like it might knock me over.

I stripped out of my sweats, abandoning them on the cool marble floor, and stalked toward the tub. I flicked my fingers, and Cassandra scooted up, allowing me to step into the water behind her.

"Fucking hell," I growled. "Do you have it hot enough?" I hissed as I sank into the lava-water, stretching my legs on either side of her.

Cassandra laughed, leaning back against my chest. "I had no idea a Viking could whine about water temperature."

"I don't whine," I argued, sighing as my body adjusted to the water. "It's hotter than the sun in here."

She laughed again, glancing up at me over her shoulder. "It is not, you big baby."

I captured her chin with my fingers, tilting her head up as I dipped mine down, slanting my mouth over hers in a punishing kiss that made her whimper.

"Keep insulting me," I warned, my blood hotter than the tub water around us. "See what happens."

She shifted against me, rocking the globes of her ass over my cock. "I'm not afraid of you," she said.

I was instantly hard, and she gasped when she rocked back again.

"Big bad hunter," she continued. "A Viking vampire who survived Nordic times, yet he balks at a little warm water. Maybe all the legends about Vikings aren't true?—"

My fangs punched out, and I bared them at her like a wild animal. I gripped her chin harder. "You insult my heritage," I snapped, using my other hand to clutch her hip and yank her harder against me. "You will suffer for that sharp tongue."

"I'm so scared, I'm shaking," she breathed the words that dripped with sarcasm.

"You should be," I growled, despite knowing I'd never hurt the gorgeous creature in my arms. I'm not sure the exact moment that had changed, but it had.

I released her chin, gliding my fingers over her warm, supple breasts, rolling a nipple until it was perked and rosy for me. I moved lower, sliding my hand between her thighs. Gods, she was on fire, all slick and searing.

She rocked into my hand, but I jerked her back with my other hand on her hip to keep her in place.

"You'll come when I say you can," I said, touching her lightly.

"Talon," she groaned, trying to move against my fingers, doing her best to get that pressure she needed.

I kept her in place, shifting to stroke my cock through her heat before pulling back, relishing the sound of her agitated moan tumbling from her lips.

"You need to learn to watch your mouth," I said, keeping up the game. I removed my hand where I teased her needy little clit and smirked widely at her whimper of protest. I gripped the base of my length, sliding my thick head down the seam of her ass, teasing the tight hole.

" Talon, " she said my name with a shot of reverence that had every muscle in my body clenching. Fuck, I wanted to end this torture. Wanted to fuck her senseless in this tub, but this was too much fun.

"Oh," I teased, continuing with my slow torture. "Do you like that?"

"Yes," she admitted with hesitance, her head falling back against my chest.

I dipped down, capturing her earlobe between my fangs gentle enough not to break the skin. "Are you imagining what my cock might feel like, filling your ass?"

"Gods, Talon," she sighed, moving her hips, rubbing herself over me. "Yes."

I kissed down her neck, dragging my fangs over the delicate skin. "Tell me how badly you want it," I demanded.

"I need it, Talon," she said, an ache in her voice. "I need you. Now."

Pure male pride filled my chest so much I flexed, continuing to swirl the head of my cock around her tight hole. "Tell me how sorry you are for insulting my heritage," I whispered into her ear, sucking on her lobe.

"Gods," she sighed. "Talon, please."

I pulled away from my teasing, shifting her in the water so we barely touched. I was prepared to continue the torture in this game for as long as it took.

"You're a cruel, vicious hunter," she whimpered, reaching behind her with both hands in an attempt to grab me.

I secured her wrists in front of her, only needing one hand to do so. "Ah, ah," I said. "Not until you apologize."

Her smile was equal parts impressed and exhilarated, and the pleasure in her eyes made me wonder if any vampire had ever handled her properly before. Acid crackled through my veins at the thought of anyone other than me touching her.

"Gods, you're infuriating," she groaned.

I released her wrists, shoving my hand between her thighs to stroke her swollen clit. She moaned, arching into my touch as I traced the bundle of nerves with deliberately slow circles.

"I'm what?" I countered, my cock aching to the point of pain. I wanted her on a level that went beyond simple need. It was a primal, carnal necessity.

"You're…" Her breath hitched as I lightly pinched her clit before quickly releasing it, bringing her to the edge but not shoving her over. "You're…"

"Yes?" I kissed her neck again, thrusting my hips so my cock would slide through her heat, through that delicious seam in her ass.

She moved her hips in circles, and I allowed the move, my entire body responding to the way she moved over me, against me.

"You're a Viking god," she said as I played with her clit again. "An infuriatingly amazing and powerful Viking god. No hunter has ever been as strong or as sexy as you."

" Good girl ," I said in my ancient language, pressing harder against her at the same time I thrust upward, sinking into her tight hole an inch.

"Talon!" she gasped, her body relaxing as I sank in another inch, then another, until I'd bottomed out inside her.

"Fuck," I groaned, pumping into her slowly at first, one hand still on her hip, the other between her thighs. I slipped two fingers inside her heat as I pumped, and her arms flew up and around my neck, gripping me as she submitted herself to me completely.

I was in total control, and she was giving me the freedom to do whatever I wanted with her.

It made me ten times harder, and I propelled myself into her harder, faster, my cock and fingers in sync as I fucked her two different ways at the same time.

She arched her neck, turning her head so that her lips could reach mine. I closed the distance, never stopping with my pumping, losing myself in her as she captured my mouth with hers.

Her kiss was sharp and desperate and made a growl rumble in my chest. I slid my tongue against hers, pressing the heel of my palm into her clit as I curled my fingers and relentlessly pumped my cock into her ass.

"Talon," she moaned against my mouth, her voice trembling with pleasure.

I swallowed her moans with my kiss, devouring her in every way possible. We were connected, every inch of our bodies clinging to each other as we rode the waves of pleasure that crashing together created.

Fuck, she felt so damn good. Every piece of me was filling her tight, supple body, and I never wanted it to stop.

I pumped into her, holding her tight against me as I relentlessly fucked her, my moves fueled by every whimper, every flutter of her pussy around my fingers.

"Come on my fingers," I demanded.

"Talon," she moaned my name as she clenched down on me, rocking into where the heel of my palm ground against her swollen clit.

"Such a good fucking viper," I said, thrusting into her harder. I didn't dare move my hand, keeping it there, pushing her from one crest of pleasure to another.

"Gods," she whimpered. "Yes. More. Talon ."

I groaned as she pushed back against me, meeting my thrusts with a determined sense of need. Growling incoherent words in my language, I lost myself, speeding up my fingers in way only a vampire could, pumping into her tight body like my life depended on it.

"Talon," she said, tilting her head to the side, exposing her neck.

I sank my fangs into her neck, sucking her orgasm-honeyed blood into my mouth, moaning at the flavor. Lightning zapped down my spine, my balls tightening as I came so hard my vision blacked out for a few seconds.

I clung to Cassandra as it cleared, our breaths ragged, the hot water sloshing in the giant tub from our furious movements as we slowed, calmed. She was limp against me, her rich brown eyes lust-hazed and sated as she looked up at me.

I smirked down at her, gently removing my cock from her ass and my fingers from her pussy, bringing my forearm to her mouth.

She didn't hesitate before she sank her fangs into me, drinking me down like she was hooked on my blood.

I hardened against her instantly, and her eyes flared wide.

"Already?"

I growled, baring my fangs. "Viking god, remember?"

She laughed, her tongue gliding over the puncture wounds before she spun around so quickly, water splashed outside the tub. She threw her legs over my hips, bringing us flush in an instant.

"You come in my pussy this time," she ordered.

"Only if you're a very, very good girl."